


Drag Me Down

by Noventia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Annoying Ron, Clever Draco, Draco Malfoy - Freeform, Harry Potter - Freeform, Independent Harry, M/M, Powerful Harry, Smart Harry, Smut, hermione granger - Freeform, smart Hermione
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-30 06:08:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6412096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Noventia/pseuds/Noventia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Draco Malfoy doesn't look good; he's pale, skittish when he thinks no one's looking. Fortunately Harry is looking, so what does he do when he comes across Draco after curfew with his mask down?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Late Nights

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! 
> 
> I hope you like this! If it sounds familiar to anyone, it's probably because I posted it on FFN as well; but if you've seen it anywhere else let me know!
> 
> Comments and Kudos are always very welcome :)
> 
> Enjoy!

Harry walked through the empty corridors on silent feet, he hadn’t bothered with the cloak tonight, preferring to storm past everyone in the common room and slam the portrait hole so that they all knew he was angry. Hermione’s face had been a mask of concern, but Ron had seemed just as angry as he was; he didn’t expect her to come and find him.

He didn’t want her to anyway.

His fist slammed against the stone wall, the sudden pain jerking him forcefully out of his thoughts. He sighed, glaring at his bruised knuckles; he really had to learn to stop hitting stone when he was angry. Or maybe just to stop hitting things in general really, that would probably work too. 

Thinking back to earlier that afternoon, when he had hit Ron rather viscously in the face; he was so sick of him telling him that he was crazy for trying to figure out what Malfoy was up to. 

Hermione had been more sympathetic, even realising that he had other reasons for wanting to know what was up with the Slytherin. Thankfully she was smart enough not to mention those reasons in front of Ron. Harry snorted, leaning further into the wall he had struck, not really having anywhere else he could go. Not anywhere he wanted to be anyway. 

His conversation with Hermione after Ron had stormed off to the Infirmary was still making heat rise in his cheeks. He would deny he was blushing till his dying day.

“Harry.” Her voice was hard, leaving him no option other than to look at her. Her face though, was as soft and caring as always. “You know you can tell me anything right? I won’t judge you. Merlin knows you have enough people around to do that.” She threw a dirty look at the people scattered about the common room.

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you Mione…” The unease was so apparent in his voice that he may as well have told her that there was something wrong. Definitely not the nonchalance he had been going for.

“The truth Harry.” The honest and completely simple answer threw him. He was used to people asking him questions, but they all had something that they wanted to hear, something they wanted him to say. 

“I just…he’s all alone.” Hermione’s eyes softened even further as she sank onto the couch, holding her arm out for him to join her. “No one seems to notice that he’s struggling to hold on. He’s being forced to do things he doesn’t want to do…why am I the only one who seems to care?” He tried to ignore the way his voice cracked, the way his eyes burned with the effort of holding back tears. Hermione just wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

“Maybe it’s because you’re the only person he needs to care.” He looked at her, confusion brimming in his eyes. “Harry, it isn’t hard to see that you like him.” He jerked in her hold, but her arms tightened and kept him pressed to her side. “Really Harry, you know I won’t say anything to anyone, I love you like a brother; you could never do anything that would turn me against you.” He nodded, wrapping his arms around her for a moment.

“I know Mione, I love you too.”

A growl ripped its way out of his throat as he thought about Ron, how he had come back at that moment and blown up. His nose had been fixed by Madame Pompfrey, though he was still wearing his blood stained shirt. 

He’d left.

He wasn’t stable enough to deal with Ron, whilst he was a good friend he was quick to anger, and he had trouble seeing past the things people had done to him. Harry knew it wasn’t fair to just expect him to accept that Harry’s feelings for Malfoy weren’t all negative anymore. But merlins balls he was his best friend! Surely that counted for something? 

He sighed, giving up on staying upright and sliding down onto the cold floor. He glared at the shadows around him, practically daring a prefect, or even a teacher to find him right now. 

He didn’t know how long he sat there, but he was pulled from his musings when the sound of footsteps reached him. Stiffening, Harry leapt to his feet and pushed himself into an alcove a little further up the corridor. 

The shadows hid him well, and the figure that past him had no idea that he was there.

“Malfoy?” The word was out of his mouth before he could stop it. He closed his eyes. Now he’d gone and done it. Quickly opening them again, he realised that Malfoy had frozen in the middle of the corridor. Harry shrugged.

“Malfoy? What are you doing out of the dungeons?” The other boy slowly spun around, his eyes wide and his expression skittish. He masked it well.

“I could ask you the same thing Potter.” The sneer didn’t have the same effect on Harry as it had for the last few years. He didn’t feel anger, not even annoyance.

“I couldn’t stand to be in the same vicinity as Ron; figured a walk would be better than breaking his nose again.” He felt rather proud when he saw the surprise flicker across Malfoy’s face.

“You- you broke Weasel’s nose?” 

“Well yeah, wouldn’t be the first time I’ve hit him.” And it wasn’t, it had happened before. Ron had a habit of saying things that pissed Harry off. “So where are you headed?” Malfoy’s back straightened, which was impressive considering how straight he had already been standing.

“That’s none of your business Potter!” Any other time and Harry might have believed it. He might have bought the arrogant mask that he put up. Right now though, the mask was cracked. Harry could see the desperation in his eyes, the drawn look in his face. He saw the silent cry for help that no one else had.

“Draco.” The boy startled at the gentle tone. “Are you okay?” Harry saw the surprise, saw the disbelief. Draco scoffed.

“Like you care either way Potter.” The bitter tone of his voice wasn’t missed.

“You’d be surprised by what I care about Draco.” At the use of his name again, Draco shot him a confused, suspicious glare. “It’s obvious to me that you’ve been asked to do something. And it’s obvious that you don’t want to do it.” Harry looked straight into his eyes. “I bet I could guess what it was you need to do.” 

“It doesn’t matter Potter. I don’t have a choice.” He wasn’t imagining the tears was he? 

“You always have a choice Draco, no matter what anyone else has told you.” 

“No! You don’t understand! He’ll kill her!” No, he wasn’t imagining the tears. Draco was crying. “He’ll kill my mother.” Understanding flooded Harry’s veins, and his heart broke for this beautiful boy who was willing to risk his death for the slimmest chance he could save his mother.

“Oh Draco.” Harry couldn’t help it, he surged forward, his arms pulling the shaking boy into his embrace. “It’s okay, everything will be okay.” Draco didn’t bother trying to pull away, didn’t listen to the voice in his head that told him that hugging Harry bloody Potter was a bad idea. All he cared about was that someone was there; someone was going to help.

“I just- I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to kill him- I don’t want to kill Dumbledore! I don’t want anything to do with this stupid war; I don’t want my mother anywhere near that monster!” Harry stood still, his arms tightening around the crying boy. “I don’t want to be dragged down into the horrors of this war anymore than I have been.” Harry’s face hardened, his mind made up. 

“I’m not gonna let anyone drag you down Draco.” Draco looked up at him, his face the picture of hope, and Harry thought that he’d never seen anything so damn beautiful. 

“Okay, I- I trust you.”


	2. Morning After

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the second chapter, I hope you like it :)

When Harry woke up the next morning, the first thing he noticed was that he was lying on hard stone. Cracking his eyes open, which took more effort than he cares to admit, he saw that he had fallen asleep in the corridor. Confused, he surveyed his surroundings, startling when he realised that Draco Malfoy was pressed against his side. Rolling his eyes at himself because really that should have been the first thing he noticed; he took his time staring at the boy. It wasn’t often that he got the chance to see him without a mask, without his guard up.

Not that he blamed Draco for that of course; with all the people around him ready to report his every move, Harry perfectly understood why he was so guarded. That didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy the rare opportunity presented to him though; and enjoy it he did.

Draco’s face was so… peaceful, when he was sleeping; instead of the usual sneer his face was smooth of lines, of any emotion. His eyelashes were so long that they brushed his cheek and cast shadows across his cheekbones, Merlin were they really that defined? Harry felt like he could sit in the damn corridor forever as long as Draco decided he would stay too, was that a weird thing to think? Harry thought it might be, but then he wasn’t so sure what was weird for him.

It was probably weird.

Though really, did he care? It wasn’t like he was gonna tell anyone that he had thought about Draco like that. Whilst he was on that topic, when did he become Draco? He had always been Malfoy before. Though really, when Harry thought about it, he’d been thinking of him as Draco in his head for most of the year; he’d even nearly tripped up and called him that out loud. He just knows he hadn’t imagined the suspicious look Hermione had sent him.

“Ugh…”

Harry’s eyes snapped back down to look at the blonde, eyes fluttering and hand trailing along the floor beside him. _Thank Merlin it wasn’t his other hand!_ Harry felt a flare of panic when Draco’s eyes snapped open and fear flooded them. He barely had time to blink before Draco was on the other side of the corridor, pressed up against it like he could will himself to fall through it if he wished hard enough. He whipped out his wand too late for it to seem like it had been anything other than a second thought.

“Whoa Draco, I’m not gonna hurt you.” He tried to keep his voice calm, he really did.

“What in Merlins name was I doing pressed up against you in a corridor Potter?!” Draco’s voice shook, and Harry knew him well enough, or at least liked to think he did, to know that it wasn’t anger, but fear that was driving his actions.

“We talked last night; I guess we just fell asleep. Nothing more Draco.” Harry didn’t think it was the right time to try and explain the consequences of the talking they had done. He wasn’t lying, they had just talked, but the weight of the things talked about… he’d let Draco remember on his own.

“Talked? Like you’d just talk to me!” Harry hated the way his eyes darted around, looking for an ambush or something he supposed.

“Draco; nothing’s gonna hurt you. Least of all me, I promise you that.” Disbelief shone out of every line of Draco’s face and Harry found himself rather desperate to hug him again. Merlin he wanted to make him happy, to make those lines go away.

Draco lowered his wand slightly, his grip so tight his knuckles were white, and his arm shook with the effort of holding it. How much sleep has he been getting? Harry shook himself, now was not the time to dwell on things like that, first he’d focus on the things he could help with. Things like getting Draco’s mum away from the fucking monster that was Voldemort. Possibly her husband too.

Glancing around the corridor, taking note of the way the sun was slanting along the stones, he realised that they probably didn’t have much time until the early risers began to make their way to the Great Hall; didn’t have much time until someone stumbled across them. It was a bloody miracle that no prefects or teachers had come across them in the night.

“Look Draco, we don’t have much time now, but I can help you. I can help your mum, but you need to trust me okay?” He didn’t have time to keep talking, at the mention of his mum Draco had bolted at him. Harry found it hard to continue his train of thought with Draco pressed against him, forget him trying to bloody _talk_.

“Thank you, thank you; you really mean it?” Harry was confused for a second. _Oh_.

“Yeah Draco, of course I bloody mean it!” To think he’d say such a thing and not mean it! “I’m not going to let you get blackmailed into helping Voldemort to save your mum! Super low of him by the way, using your mum like that.” Harry grimaced; mums were, well, special. Using one like that was just…wrong.

“I- I didn’t- “ Harry was alarmed to see that Draco’s eyes were beginning to brim with tears, his mouth was stuttering as he bit his lip; trying to contain sobs he realised.

“No, no don’t cry Draco; everything is going to be okay. I swear it.” Should he be worried that Draco didn’t seem to remember what had happened last night?

“You won’t let me get dragged down, right?” It was said in a light, watery voice that he thought had no business coming out of Draco bloody Malfoy’s mouth, but he was glad that he seemed to remember last night. He smiled at him.

“Exactly. I dare anyone to try.”

Draco thought that the near feral smile that lit Harry’s face in that moment was equal parts terrifying and comforting.

Then he remembered what Harry had been saying, before he had practically tackled him into the wall. Pulling back, he looked up and down the corridor, spotting an alcove a few metres away. Why hadn’t they taken refuge there? He snorted mentally; trust Potter to ignore the safe hiding place in favour of the very unsafe corridor. Honestly, it wasn’t his fault; he’d been emotional after all.

“Why are we in the corridor?” He fought the urge to snicker when Harry’s face creased in confusion.

“Uh, we fell asleep here? Didn’t I already mention that?” Draco didn’t bother trying to suppress his eye roll.

“Yes Potter, but why were we in the corridor, when there’s a perfectly good alcove right there?” Would it be inappropriate to laugh? Draco thought that it might be, so he bit his cheek to prevent himself; after all, it wouldn’t do to annoy Potter too much.

“I- well I was too busy making sure you were alright to give a damn where we were Draco!” Harry realised a second too late that that was possibly a very, telling thing to say.

“Honestly Potter, you’re such a Gryffindor.” He was smirking when he said it though, so Harry wasn’t too bothered. In fact, he thought it might have even been a compliment this time.

“Well excuse me for giving a damn!” Harry fought to control his temper, Merlin he makes me CRAZY! “C’mon, let’s go see Dumbledore.” Harry was grumbling. He knew it. Draco knew it. Harry couldn’t bring himself to care, and Draco was too amused to really give a damn either.

He did know better than to antagonise him any further though. He, wisely, kept his mouth shut the whole way to Dumbledore’s office. He was quite proud of his self control.

OoOoOoOoO

“Blood Pops!”

“Bertie Botts!”

“Cockroach Clusters!”

“Pumpkin Pasties!”

“Lemon Drops!”

“Chocolate Frogs!”

The gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore’s office finally opened. Draco gaped.

“I reckon he thinks that having a chocolate frog card is his greatest achievement.” Draco gaped some more. Harry rolled his eyes and grabbed his arm, pulling him onto the stairs and letting them slowly spin them upwards. He didn’t try and make Draco walk up them; he seemed a little too… preoccupied.

“Come in.” Draco continued to gape.

Harry pushed open the door, pulling Draco into the office behind him. He pushed the boy past all the spinning, whirring and colourful objects that littered every surface and sat him in a chair. Draco didn’t stop gaping.

Harry rolled his eyes.

“Well, I can’t say this isn’t a surprise! Harry, I trust you have a reason for being here so very early in the morning.” It was only then that Harry realised that it was indeed very early; the sun had only just fully entered the sky. He flushed. Dumbledore twinkled. Draco gaped.

“Oh, well, uh…” He glanced around the office, taking note of the still sleeping portraits. “I’m sorry sir, I didn’t- I didn’t realise it was so early.” Dumbledore just smiled, quite clearly not minding the early hour.

“No matter my dear boy! Now, what exactly can I do for you?” Harry had never been more thankful for his eccentricity. The things you get away with when your headmaster is completely mad.

“Voldemort is threatening Draco’s mum and forcing him to try and kill you, if he doesn’t succeed Voldemort’ll kill his mum!” Draco stopped gaping.

“Well, that is grave news indeed.” He turned to Draco. “Where is your mother Mr Malfoy?” perhaps it was the fact that no one had ever looked at him with such…grandfatherly concern before, but Draco found himself unable to speak for a moment.

“Draco?” Harry’s voice distracted him from his thoughts. Can distract me any day Potter. Shaking himself of such unwanted thoughts he turned to face the headmaster. When had he turned to look at Potter anyway?

“I- she’s at Malfoy Manner sir. The Dark Lord, he came over the summer…he’s been there for months.” Harry’s heart wrenched at the idea of Draco, _beautiful Draco_ , being subjected to that monsters company for that long. Thank Merlin he had to come to school. “I- He wants to Mark me when I go home for Easter break.”

“No!” It took Harry a moment to realise that the shout he heard was his own. The very idea of Draco being marred by such a thing disgusted him. _Beautiful Draco, protect him!_ Draco was looking at him, he seemed surprised. Dumbledore just looked pleased. “You are not getting the Dark Mark. No bloody way in Hell.”

“Well it isn’t like the idea appeals to me either Potter!”


	3. Chapter 3

Harry sat on the couch in the common room, sulking. He knew that he was sulking, though he would deny it if anyone else were to say it. Dumbledore had sent him away! If he were thinking straight, he would have realised that he had been sent away because he kept interrupting; kept shouting random things. In the end, Draco had been exasperated and Dumbledore had been beaming.

So, he was sulking and waiting for Hermione to come down from her dormitory, so that he could tell her everything that had happened. No, not in a gossipy way; in a manly way. Harry glared at the stairs to the boy’s dormitory, pleased that it was a weekend and that Ron wouldn’t be up for hours; he could talk to Hermione in peace.

  
And have a breakfast where he didn’t lose his appetite.

“Harry?”

 _Thank Merlin_. Hermione.

“Hermione! You’ll never guess what happened last night!” She raised her eyebrows.

“Well, you can tell me all about it over breakfast; I’m starving.” She smiled at him, holding out her hand in offering. Grinning, Harry grabbed it.

“I saw Draco last night.” Too late he realised that he didn’t call him that around Hermione. “I got him to tell me what’s been wrong. Mione, Voldemort has crossed a fucking line!”

“Harry! Language!”

“Sorry! But he HAS! He’s threatening his MOTHER! What kind of monster threatens Mothers?! Don’t get me wrong, I knew Moldyshorts was evil, but Mothers? That’s not evil, that’s, that’s… what’s worse than evil Mione?”

“Well, there isn’t really a word for something worse than evil; you’d have to put other words in front of it for it to be worse. Extremely evil, would be worse than just evil.” Harry stared at her for a moment.

“Right. I knew he was evil, but now he’s extremely evil. Anyone who can threaten a Mother is beyond redemption.” He paused for a moment, considering. “Not that I thought Voldemort could be redeemed or anything like that…”

“I understand Harry. Mum’s are very important to you aren’t they?” Harry realised that he had never spoken to Hermione about how he felt about Mothers.

“Well, yeah. I mean, they love and protect you; your mum is someone that you’re supposed to be able to go to for everything, and they’ll HELP you. No matter what your mum will love you, doesn’t matter what choices you make, or the mistakes, they’ll love you no matter what.” He looked at her. “My mum gave her life so that I could live mine; I can’t imagine a greater gift, a greater love. For someone to threaten the bond between a mother and child…it’s just wrong Mione.” If he had to turn away and rub his eyes for a moment, Hermione pretended not to notice. She was good like that.

“I understand Harry. You’re a very sweet guy you know that?”

“Uh…thanks…” Hermione laughed. Harry grinned.

“So, tell me what happened with Draco.” His eyes shot up, wide and honestly quite scared of what she was thinking. “Honestly Harry! Of course I noticed, you’ve called him Draco this morning; and while I’m quite certain that he’s been Draco in your mind for awhile,” _Ha!_ He knew he wasn’t imagining those looks! “This is the first time that you’ve called him that around me; so what happened?”

He stared at her.

“You’re brilliant, you know that?” She flushed.

“I have been told yes. Now answer the question.”

OoOoOoOoO

When Draco walked into the Great Hall, he instantly sought out Harry Potter. It wasn’t a new thing, wasn’t something that he was doing simply because of last night and this morning. It was something he had done every morning, pretty much every meal, since he had been at Hogwarts. Today though, something was different.

Instead of the rush of anger, of envy that usually came with seeing him, today he felt only a warm rush of…affection. He fought the urge to screw his face up at the word. There wasn’t anything else he could call it though; the warm feeling gathering in his stomach was affection, he just didn’t know why he was feeling it for Harry bloody Potter of all people.

Okay, so that was a lie.

So maybe he’d felt like that a few mornings, a few meals scattered among the years; that didn’t mean that he didn’t hate him. Just, he hated him less some days.

Throwing everything he had been taught out the window, he screwed his eyes shut. Lying to others he was used to, but lying to himself? He didn’t like to do that.

He liked Potter, Merlin knows he did. Merlin also knows _why_. Looking over at the Gryffindor table, he observed. He spotted the messy mop of hair immediately; he would need to be blind to miss it. No matter when he saw him, it always looked like he had just gotten off a broom; Draco would probably die before he would ever admit that he found it incredibly sexy. His head was bowed, leaning slightly toward Granger, whispering urgently. Draco silently willed him to look up, to grace Draco with the view of his eyes. Rolling his eyes at himself about how pathetic he was, he ignored the way his breath caught when Harry did look over at him. Ignored the fluttery feeling in his stomach as he locked gazes with emerald green.

He should look away.

Really, he should. Granger was sitting right there, right next to Potter; she would notice the look on his face, even if no one else would. Taking a few more seconds to memorise the colour of Potter’s eyes, he tore his gaze away and focused entirely on his breakfast. He would not look up. He would not.

He thought back to his conversation with Dumbledore this morning, after Potter had left; the idiot hadn’t been able to keep his thoughts and emotions to himself. Rolling his eyes at the memory of Potter acting as though he could form a physical wall between him and the Dark Lord; though he supposed if anyone could do it…

He shook himself, focusing again on the conversation with Dumbledore.

\----

“Well, now we can talk without Harry interrupting; he means well really.” Dumbledore was looking at him as though he needed to be convinced that Potter was a good person.

“I know he does. I wouldn’t be here if I thought otherwise.” Perhaps that wasn’t the right thing to say to a person you were being blackmailed into trying to kill, but it was the truth. If Potter hadn’t offered his help, and if Draco hadn’t thought he meant it, then he wouldn’t be here.

“I can certainly understand that Mr Malfoy, especially with your Mother being threatened.” He looked at the ground, covered in plush carpet, and thought about his Mother; held captive in her own home, unable to leave and forced to witness the monstrosities of the Dark Lords followers. He shuddered.

“You can help her, cant you?” Dumbledore’s eyes softened.

“Yes, I certainly can.” Relief flooded Draco’s system.

“Oh Merlin thank you!” Draco was too far gone to be embarrassed by the warm look in Dumbledore’s eyes.

“You are very welcome Mr Malfoy, I am a firm believer that people who have the courage to do what is right, deserve help.” Draco hoped that he was imagining the heat rising in his cheeks. “Harry seems to have placed you firmly in the group of people he wants to protect.” Draco knew he wasn’t imagining the heat this time.

“He’s been…odd.” Dumbledore chuckled.

“How so Mr Malfoy?”

“Well, I- I never would have imagined that he would notice, that anyone would notice, that something was wrong.” He couldn’t bring himself to meet Dumbledore’s eyes. “I guess, I never would have thought that he would care.” He could feel his eyes on him, and he fought to keep his head down, the man started humming. That brought his head up fast.

“Harry has always had a way of noticing those who need help; and giving it to them.” Dumbledore looked like he was considering whether or not to say something. “Harry- well he’s a very selfless person; always willing to help others, even at risk to himself.”

Draco nodded, that was something he was rather familiar with. “Yes, I am aware of his…tendencies.” He really couldn’t keep the sneer off his face, or out of his voice.

Dumbledore laughed. “Yes, I can imagine such Gryffindor actions are quite against the Slytherin tendency for self preservation.” Draco smirked, nodding.

“Potter is…well he’s been the source of many jokes throughout the years in Slytherin, we all find him rather interesting honestly. Some in nicer ways than others; but the fact that he’s still alive even though he’s been throwing himself into danger for years is…interesting.”

“Yes, he often talks about his luck; he refuses to admit to it being due to any talent on his part.” Draco was surprised at that. Though the more he thought about it, the more it did make sense with everything else he knew about Potter.

“That’s ridiculous! He’s done plenty things that would be impossible on pure luck!” Honestly, the idea that Gryffindors would throw themselves into danger and then deny that they had any skill or anything was just annoying. Draco felt the need to hit Potter.

“Now, about your Mother,” Draco’s attention snapped back to Dumbledore in less than a second. “You said she is currently residing at Malfoy Manor?”

“Yes sir.”

“Alright, then we will try to get a portkey to her as soon as possible, that will take her to a safe house. She will be safe there.” Draco closed his eyes. “With that out of the way, until your Mother is safely away from your Manor, I ask that you not interact with Harry any differently. It would not be good if any letters about you being friends were to reach Voldemort or someone close to him.”

“Of course sir. I’ll even hit him if it’ll help.”Dumbledore smiled indulgently. Perhaps he thought Draco was joking, but he fully intended to hit him.

\----

“Draco!” The sudden, almost inhuman screech pulled him from his thoughts. He turned towards the noise, to see Pansy. He bit his cheek to keep himself from groaning in annoyance.

“Pansy.” Hopefully, the flat, uninterested tone of his voice would tell her he wasn’t interested in talking. It didn’t.

“I missed you last night! I waited in the Common Room.” Draco shuddered to think what she had been doing whilst waiting for him. Or, what she had been wearing.

“Yes, well unfortunately I was…occupied last night.” Pansy’s face flushed a rather unattractive pink.

“With WHO?!” This time the screech got the attention of several other students.

“Come now Pansy, you don’t really think I’m going to tell you that do you?” She sputtered. “Stop it that is both unattractive and unladylike.” Her lips pursed, her eyes turning flinty.

“Well, I hope you had a…good night.” It was horribly obvious that she hoped that he had had the worst night of his life.

“Oh, I did.” Pansy screeched again. Draco couldn’t help the flinch; his hand went up to check that his ears weren’t bleeding.

He wasn’t the only one.

Pansy strut from the Hall, her eyes scanning as though looking for a girl that looked like she had been up all night. Draco laughed, no matter how many times he had tried to tell her, she still hadn’t figured out that he was gay.

Though that meant that she couldn’t tell anyone so maybe that was a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that was the next chapter! I really hope you liked it! If you did, please hit the Kudos button or leave a comment (or both); it'd mean a lot! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is the next chapter! I hope you like it!

Harry was telling Hermione everything; every little thing that had happened since the beginning of the year that had changed his mind about Draco Malfoy.

Thankfully Hermione was an attentive audience, as Harry found himself getting caught up in the most unnecessary details; things like the way the sun reflected on Draco’s hair that time he had seen him sitting by the lake, or how his eyes looked like melted moonlight when he glared at him.

He may have blushed when he’d said that one. Hermione definitely giggled at him.

“Well, I mean that- he’s just…” Harry gave up; there was nothing he could say that would get the glint of knowing out of Hermione’s eyes.

“He’s gorgeous, I know.” Merlin Harry hated it when she got that smug look on her face. “Everyone knows Draco Malfoy is one of the hottest boys in school Harry. Honestly.”

“One of?” Hermione rolled her eyes at the offence in the boy’s voice. “How is he not the hottest? Who on earth could compete?”

“You.”

“Me? Don’t be ridiculous!” Hermione rolled her eyes again; she really was doing that too much lately. She could just tell that Harry was about to start in on one of his rants, this one no doubt about how much hotter Draco was than he.

“Honestly Harry, you should be happy that you are considered more attractive; that means that you’ll be considered the hottest couple once you’re together.” She saw the exact moment that he registered what she had said.

“You- you think we’ll get together?” The insecurity in his voice was unnerving, no matter how many times she was assaulted, yes it was so violent and jarring that she thought this word rather fitting, with the proof of Harry’s horrible childhood. He’d never said anything, but then he had never had to.

“Well of course I do!” She leant towards him conspiratorially, “After what you told me of last night and this morning, I know he isn’t straight, and he hasn’t stopped looking at you since he walked in.”

Immediately, Harry’s head snapped up. Sure enough, Draco was staring right at him. Merlin was he gorgeous, his head was tilted just slightly to the right, delicate strands of platinum falling rather beautifully over his ear. The one thing he really couldn’t get over though, was his eyes; dear Merlin his eyes!

Harry didn’t think it was fair how damn beautiful the other boys eyes were; he wasn’t kidding when he said that they looked like liquid moonlight. He would die before saying it out loud again, but there was no escaping the fact that when he looked into Draco’s eyes he was trapped there, lost in the swirling shades of silver and fighting to maintain his sanity.

Draco broke the contact. _Thank Merlin!_ Harry knew he wouldn’t have been able to; he would have made an idiot out of himself by sitting there, unmoving, until Draco decided it was time for him to leave.

“Honestly Harry, how you thought I wouldn’t notice your feelings when you stare at him like that is rather insulting.” Fear surged through him, turning him away from the Slytherin table and towards Hermione.

“Look at him like what!?” He didn’t look at him in a special way did he? He couldn’t! What if anyone else noticed?

“Like he is the only other person in the room.” The matter of fact tone of Hermione’s voice didn’t help at all. “Though if you think anyone else is actually paying attention then you are even more paranoid than I thought you were.”

“Hermione I’m the Boy-Who-Lived, of course there are people watching me!” Hermione rolled her eyes again.

“Yes, but they aren’t watching the way you look at Draco Malfoy Harry. I promise you.” He stared at her for a moment, Hermione staring right back with her eyebrows raised into her hairline.

“Fine…” Hermione smiled.

“Good boy! Now eat your breakfast, you haven’t eaten anything yet; too busy lamenting on the beauty of Draco Malfoy.” Once again, the smug look on Hermione’s face, and the knowing glint in her eyes made him shiver.

He started eating, though that didn’t stop his mind from running through all the things he liked about the blonde boy. _Merlin’s Balls, I’m so screwed_.

 

Draco left the hall first, causing Harry’s leg to start jumping with the effort of not leaving as well.

He stayed in his seat.

When he excited the hall with Hermione, the only thing he saw was silver before he hit the ground, pain blooming in his nose. His hand reached for his face on instinct, blood dripping down his hand as he figured out what had happened.

Draco had hit him. Hit him.

He surged to his feet, disregarding his bleeding nose.

“What the hell?!” His eyes flashed angrily as he stared at Draco. The other boy met his gaze head on, refusing to back down or flinch under his glare. How dare he hit him? “I didn’t even do anything this time!” He saw a flash of incredulity in Draco’s eyes right before they hardened into silver flints of ice.

“Didn’t do anything?! That’s your problem Potter! You think you haven’t done anything fucking special!” _What?_

“What in Merlin’s name does that mean?! You can’t just hit people for no reason Malfoy!” Hermione bit her lip, this conversation wasn’t normal.

“Harry! Please calm down; you need to go to the Hospital Wing!” Draco’s eyes darted to Harry’s nose, noticing for the first time the subtle shift in where it was on his face. _Shit I’ve broken it!_

Harry’s hand flew back up to his face, flinching when his hand touched his nose. “Ah shit Mione! He broke my fucking nose!”

“Harry, language!” Draco bit his cheek, hard, to avoid smiling. _Merlin he’s cute when he’s angry_. Startled by the thought, he didn’t see the Headmaster arriving.

“What on earth is going on here?” Eyes twinkling, Dumbledore looked at the three students, waiting for one of them to answer. Harry looked at Hermione.

Honestly so did Draco. Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Harry and Draco had a small disagreement Headmaster, nothing to worry about at all I assure you.” Draco fought the need to gape at the girl; Harry’s nose was clearly broken and he had blood all over his face and his shirt! Plus, Draco had blood on his hand, so it was obvious that he had hit him.

Dumbledore looked at them all again and then nodded. He fucking nodded.

“Very well Miss Granger. Harry my boy; you had best head to the Infirmary.” The smile on the man’s face had not changed once throughout the exchange.

“Yes sir was on my way.” Harry shot one more look at Draco before he turned around and headed towards the Hospital Wing with Granger.

“Now Draco, was that really necessary?” The look he was getting from Dumbledore was…amused.

“I told you I was going to hit him sir.” He definitely didn’t imagine the grin that spilt the man’s face.

“Yes, I do suppose you did. Very well, carry on my boy.” With a final smile, Dumbledore swept away from him. No detention or anything. _What in Merlin’s name is going on?_

 

Draco was sitting in the library about an hour later, trying to put the entire incident to the back of his mind and hopefully bury it forever. It was odd when the scattering of students who had been sitting at the tables suddenly stood up and left. Some of them even left their stuff on the tables.

It made sense a second later.

“Hi.” Harry had collapsed into the chair across from him. His nose healed, and once again sitting perfectly in the centre of his face, and wearing a fresh, blood free shirt.

“What do you want Potter?” He would not lower his book. He would not.

“Well, I figured that we should talk about what happened in the Entrance Hall… you know when you broke my nose.” The words were accompanied with a small glare.

“Still caught up on that are you? Figured you’d be over it by now.” Draco took a slow, deep breath. He had to stay calm, remain in control.

“If I knew why you did it then yeah, I might be over it. But since I don’t… well it’s harder to get over I guess.” He paused for a moment, tilting his head. “You know it didn’t make sense to Hermione either.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Shocking that.”

“I know I figured that everything made sense to her.” He grinned.

“Everything that actually makes sense in the real world makes sense to Granger, but since you are spouting nonsense it isn’t surprising that she didn’t understand.”

“Ouch Draco.” He could hear the smirk in Harry’s voice. Bet he’s sexy as hell smirking.

“Truth hurts Potter.” He would not put down his damn book. He bloody wouldn’t.

“You can call me Harry you know, there isn’t anyone here Draco.” Draco swallowed. Merlin this boy would kill him. He just knew it.

“What makes you think I want to call you…Harry, Potter?” He tried to put as much venom in that as he could…it really didn’t work like he wanted it too.

Fingers curled around the top of his book, _No!_ , and then he had nothing to hide behind. He drank in Harry’s appearance for a moment. He did look good sprawled out like that, one leg dangling off the arm of the chair; scratch that he looked delicious. His hair was messier than normal, and his eyes were bright and laughing.

He was smirking, and he was right; it looked damn good.

“Oh I think you do Draco.” Harry practically purred his name, and dear Merlin this couldn’t be happening!

He shot out of his chair like a rocket, gathering his things as he avoided Harry’s eyes. He didn’t want to admit that he ran out of there, but he did. He ran all the way back to his dorm room. Harry’s laugh following him the entire way.

_What the hell is happening?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked the chapter! Please leave a comment and/or kudos to let me know you liked it! :)


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